‘Recognise strides in women progress’
AS Zimbabwe joins the global community in commemorating International Women’s Day today, the Government has stressed the need to recognise the progress made by women in advancing gender equality while taking crucial steps to provide comprehensive support to survivors of gender-based violence through one-stop centres.
The day acknowledges the advancement of women in all socio-economic spheres while promoting the ongoing fight against gender-based violence and celebrating the resilience of survivors.
It advocates the existence and continuous improvement of one-stop centres, demonstrating the country’s commitment to achieving gender equality and creating a future free from violence for all women and girls.
Zimbabwe joins the world in celebrating the International Women’s Day, reflecting on the obstacles that women face and the strides they have made in pursuit of gender equality and equity.
This year’s theme: “Invest in women: Accelerate progress”, highlights the necessity of advancing women’s empowerment in all contexts and resonates with the obstacles women face in achieving gender equality.
Speaking at a media conference in Harare yesterday, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said women’s immense contribution towards achieving many goals was invaluable. “Women around the world have shattered glass ceilings, broken barriers, and proven overwhelmingly that they are capable of achieving greatness in every field. Their contributions to society, culture, science, politics, and the economy are invaluable. Yet, in spite of these achievements, we still have a long way to go in ensuring factual equality for all,” she said.
“Women’s economic participation and their ownership and control of productive assets speeds up development, helps overcome poverty, reduces inequalities, maternal and infant mortality and improves children’s nutrition, health, and school attendance. When women have equal access to education, employment, and financial resources, economies thrive.”
Against all odds, some women had broken the glass ceiling and now occupy influential positions.
For instance, the Zimbabwe Newspapers Group this week appointed Victoria Ruzvidzo as the first ever female editor of its flagship newspaper, The Herald.
In an interview Ruzvidzo urged women to work hard and desist from being cry-babies. She said challenged women to demonstrate their capabilities in whatever top position they are placed.
“As a woman and as the first female editor of The Herald, I feel humbled that my superiors have demonstrated confidence in me. They have trusted me as a woman to take up this position that has been occupied by men only for over 120 years. My goal is to go above and beyond what is expected of me.”
Ruzvidzo said women should strive to break barriers and claim their stake in the country’s high decision-making panorama, stressing that through mentorship more and more women would rise to the top.
“In the process women need not be confrontational, but should see men as partners or enablers in some instances, barring the fact that globally the patriarchal system can be too harsh for comfort”
Founder of the Afrason Aquaculture and chief executive of one of the country’s biggest public transport companies CAG Traveller’s Coaches Dr Afra Nhanhanga said men should strive to train more women to perform roles that were previously male dominated.
“Now since I was trained by a man, I would love to see more men grooming women because it will contribute to the end of poverty. Apart from managing a huge transport company, I grow groundnuts, produce peanut butter, rear and sell chickens and I am also involved in fish breeding and aquaculture.
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